Khammuan bans students from riding motorbikes to school
Secondary schools around Khammuan province have banned students from riding motorcycles to school, a senior provincial Education and Sports Department official has said.
Department Director Mr Sihay Keokaithinh told the Vientiane Times on Wednesday that encouraging students to ride bicycles to school helps to reduce household expenses and road accidents, as well as protecting the environment.
“Stopping students riding motorbikes to school is in line with anticipation of approval of the idea by the provincial Education and Sports Department, each school director, and student-parent associations,” Mr Sihay said.
“Riding bicycles to school also gives students exercise and helps to keep them fit and healthy. They can use motorbikes for personal matters or to help out with their family's work after school.”
Mr Sihay said that the scheme to encourage students to ride bicycles to school officially began in the province this academic year. It will kick off at Thakhek Secondary School in the provincial capital, which has a large number of students.
So far, 30-40 out of more than 90 secondary schools in the province have introduced the scheme, while other schools in nearby districts plan to do so soon.
The project also aims to help students avoid peer pressure to race motorbikes and engage in speeding or risky behaviour.
“The regulation was implemented after the outcome of a meeting held to review and evaluate the idea was approved by the school's council. We initiated the ban because we learnt from the example of other schools,” Mr Sihay added.
A recent survey found that road accidents often involve students who break the traffic rules when riding to school. Their knowledge of traffic regulations is limited and they lack driving experience, according to Mr Sihay.
To further address the issue, Mr Sihay said the department has cooperated with the provincial Traffic Department to provide students with information about traffic rules.
Students are mostly under 18 years of age. So, by riding to school they were already breaking the regulation which prohibits riding without a licence, he said. A person must be 18 years of age to obtain a driving licence in Laos.
Many schools across the country have already banned students from riding motorbikes to classes. Xayaboury was the first province to launc h the project, in the 2005-06 academic year. Luang Prabang was the second and now many secondary schools in urban areas are running the scheme, while other schools in districts of Saravan province are doing the same.
